It's impossible to understand Duterte without first addressing the issues that propelled him to power - the highest homicide rate in Asia, rampant corruption, and a loss of national pride due to more than a century of American colonialism / neo-colonialism. One can of course debate whether Duterte's "strong man" approach is appropriate in such a situation, but it's misleading to assume that the country was substantially better before he took over. One should also question why, out of all the tyrannical third world leaders, Duterte has suddenly become the "flavor of the month" for the Western press to vilify.